He cheated!
by IluthraDanar
Summary: This is my interpretation James T Kirk taking the Kobayashi Maru test at Star Fleet Academy. Nothing wrong with Chris Pine's version, but this is a different James Kirk. Hope you enjoy. Reviews accepted graciously.


I loved the new Star Trek film, but didn't care for the cavalier way Kirk took the Kobayashi Maru test. I always imagined he would want to be more.....heroic about it. So this is my interpretation of the test he took, in the unaltered time line. I'm not saying that Pine's Kirk was wrongly portrayed in the movie, as his personality was molded by different circumstances. This is my version of TOS Kirk. I do not own any of the characters, just borrowing for a bit. All reviews accepted graciously.

**He cheated!**

"You're taking it again?" Gary laughed at his friend's announcement. "You do realize, you can't beat it. It's not made to be beaten." Several of the others in their group agreed with the 3rd year cadet. "Why embarrass yourself to try and prove a point?" Gary's attention was pulled away from the conversation as a pretty 2nd year cadet walked by. Everyone in their group knew that between Gary Mitchell and James Kirk, Gary was the bigger wolf. Jim was more likely to be seen with books in his arms than a girl.

"I don't agree, guys. Someone has to show those prancers at Star Fleet that there is no such thing as a no-win scenario." Jim Kirk firmly believed that no situation was unwinnable, no problem unsolvable. That's why he knew he would be the best ship's captain in the Fleet. Some called him arrogant, others cocky. He just happened to feel it was his destiny. And no stupid test was going to keep him from getting what he wanted.

Gary turned back to the conversation. "Jim, it's not about winning. It's a test of character. To see how a captain handles fear in the face of death." Oh my god, he sounded like one of those tight-ass instructors, he thought.

Kirk stopped walking and turned to his long time friend. "Gary, captains don't have time to be afraid. A captain has to analyze a situation in a split second, come to a solution and act on that solution. He just doesn't have the luxury of being scared." He started walking again. "Besides, I don't like to lose."

"Hey, Jim, can I be on the bridge with you?" This from a petite cadet he had dated a few times but was now good friends with.

"Yeah, Shareen. I'll get you on. You just watch how I manage the test this time." They all headed toward Star Fleet Operations, while Kirk thought about how he was going to prove his words.

_The day of the test_

The bridge hummed with the sound of computer noises and deck reports, and Kirk felt quite at home. The chair beneath him felt right. This was what his destiny dictated, he knew that for a fact. He had gotten Shareen Jamura on the bridge to play the communications officer.

"Captain, we're approaching the Neutral Zone," the helmsman said, turning to Kirk, silently waiting for orders.

"Give it a wide berth, Mr Jansen," Kirk answered. Third time's the charm, he thought, suppressing a smile. He knew what was going to happen now, but that didn't make it any less nerve wracking.

Jansen pressed a few buttons as the imagery on the viewscreen showed the course correction. Soon the communications officer spoke. "Captain, we're receiving a distress call."

"On audio, Lieutenant." The entire bridge listened as a garbled voice called for help. "...imperative. This is the Kobayashi Maru...19 parsecs out of Altair 6. We have struck a gravitic mine............." the voice went on to describe their dire situation and location. "Statistics, Mr Jansen?" Jansen punched a button on his board and the numbers came up on the view screen. Kirk studied them, then ordered his navigator to set a course change for the Neutral Zone.

"Captain, ......," Jansen started to interject even as the navigator was inputting course. But before he complied with those course changes, he felt he should remind the captain of where they were going.

"Now, Mr Jansen." The look is his eyes told the young officer he'd better obey the order or else.

The star ship headed for the crippled vessel, right into the Neutral Zone.

"Lt. Jamura, set all sensors for wide range. Keep a look out for any ships."

"Aye, Captain." Lt Jamura allowed the actor in her to come out, and reacted with certain gravity to the situation.

Kirk stared at the view screen intently. "Alert Sick Bay to be ready for any survivors."

"Yes, sir!"

"Let's get this mission done, so we can get the hell out of here."

Suddenly an proximity alarm went off, alerting the bridge crew to the approach of three Klingon battle cruisers. They were heading straight for the star ship. Kirk knew telling the Klingons that they were on a rescue mission would do no good. And they didn't take prisoners.

"Red alert, Lt Jamura! Jansen, raise shields!" The red alert klaxon blared over the entire bridge. Kirk sat ramrod in his command chair now. "Charge all weapons! Prepare to fire on my command."

"Aye, sir!" Jansen punched a few buttons and told Kirk that all weapons had been primed. "Should we take evasive actions?"

"Not yet. Let the Klingons think they have us trapped."

"Aye, sir!" Ensign Miller felt a touch of panic, even if this was a simulation, albeit a very convincing one. A lone ship would never escape three Klingon battle cruisers. He also knew that Kirk had taken this test twice before, and wanted to try again, why, he didn't know. Still, he played the part of navigator well, as he expected he would in real life, whenever he got his first assignment.

The ship shook as photon torpedoes struck its hull. Phaser fire followed close behind.

"Shields down to 83%, Captain!" Again, the ship was struck by more phaser fire. Panels exploded in sparks and smoke, as the ship was buffeted again. One crewman fell to the deck, unmoving. "At 56%! Forward shield number 4 is about gone." Miller had to yell over the din that now filled the bridge.

"Transfer rear shield power to forward shields."

Kirk turned his head to look at his navigator and helmsman. "Jansen, plot a course between the Klingons, impulse power. Miller, prime the Shield Interference Grid."

"The what, sir?"

"The blue button on your console, Ensign!" Miller turned back to his board and saw the blue button, not imaging it even did anything in this simulation, but he pushed it as ordered. The viewscreen showed some sort of power wave moving out from the ship, and heading right for all three Klingon ships.

Lt. Jansen looked at his board in surprise. "Sir, the Klingon shields have all dropped!"

Kirk smiled, saying "Well, target the closest vessel, mister!" Lt Jansen fired two photon torpedoes at the nearest ship and watched as it broke up in a massive explosion. "Set course, 238 mark 5. Fire phasers at the remaining vessels on fly-by!"

Jansen fired, watching the blue beams make contact on the hulls of both ships. They seemed incapacitated, but Kirk was taking no chances. "Fire photon torpedoes at both vessels!" The bridge crew watched as the other two ships also blew up, breaking into many large and smaller pieces.

Kirk exhaled loudly. Even if it was a simulation, it was a good one. He looked at the fallen crewman. "Medical to the bridge. Lt Jamura, stand down from Red Alert to Yellow Alert. Keep an eye out there. Mr Jansen, set course for the Kobayashi Maru. Begin evacuation of survivors. Let me know when we're done. I don't want to hang around here longer than necessary." Kirk wasn't taking any chances that other ships would be making an appearance.

Suddenly an officer appeared from the turbolift, which didn't really go anywhere and walked over to the man in the captain's chair. He didn't look happy. "Cadet Kirk, remain here. Everyone else, off the bridge, now!" Shareen looked at her friend with sympathy, and left.

Kirk stepped off the command dais, and stood at attention, waiting for the inevitable. The training officer walked around him, arms behind his back, saying nothing. He stopped, glared at the cadet who should be trembling in his boots but seemed oddly relaxed, as if what he had done was the norm. He had to make clear that cheating, and that was what happened here, was not tolerated in Star Fleet.. No one was supposed to be able to defeat three Klingon ships. It wasn't a test of ingenuity but of character, how to face the unwinnable situations any Star Fleet officer would face in space. "Explain yourself, cadet."

"Sir?" Kirk didn't look at the questioning officer but only stared straight ahead.

"How did you win the no-win scenario?" Kirk tried to suppress the grin threatening to betray him. "I changed the program, so that we could defeat the Klingons........sir. I added a device that would neutralize their shields."

"You cheated. And you're quite proud of that, aren't you? You know what this test is all about, don't you. Yet you changed the parameters of the entire simulation."

Kirk looked at the officer before him, and stated what he felt, "I don't believe in the no-win scenario......sir"

"Cadet Kirk, there will be times when a captain will have to make difficult decisions, decisions that may mean life and death to your crew, individually or as a whole. Fear will be your companion. Indecision may strike at you at any time. How you handle these instances tells us what kind of a captain you will be." He stood in front of Kirk and looked him squarely in the eyes. " Not everyone is cut out for command."

"Permission to speak freely, sir." When he didn't hear anything, Kirk proceeded to speak. "Sir, I firmly believe that any bad situation is winnable. Strategy, creativity, a fine crew. Those things make winning possible. A captain doesn't have the luxury of being afraid. A captain has to take control, and do what is necessary to get his crew and ship out of danger. Any problem has a solution. I wanted to demonstrate that."

"But you added a device into the simulation program that wasn't there before."

Kirk interjected before the older man could continue. "Sir, in such a situation, how do you know my crew wouldn't be able to design some way to disable the shields?"

The older man decided he wasn't going to argue with this cadet any further. After a moment, he said, "You will be brought before a disciplinary board on the charge of dishonorable conduct. You are hereby suspended pending that review. Dismissed!"

Kirk turned and left the fake bridge through the equally fake turbolift doors. An honours charge. What was he thinking? Didn't Kirk prove what he set out to show them all? That he had the ingenuity and creativity to beat their blasted test? He headed back to his quarters. Under suspension, he would have no classes, no duties, no real purpose, until the board decided on whether he was worthy of staying at the Academy, ...or not.

_Two days later_

James Kirk stood at attention before a board of Star Fleet officers, all expressionless, all looking right at Kirk. "This board has convened to look into the possible charge of dishonorable conduct. As to the charge of cheating on the Kobayashi Maru test, we have examined the events, and decided the following." The officer speaking looked at Kirk without blinking. Jim hated not being able to read on his face what was in his mind. Was this to be his last day at the academy? All he worked for, lost in one sentence? "For changing the conditions of the Kobayashi Maru test, this board hereby _awards_ you a special commendation for original thinking. While your record will show that you did not complete the test as mandated, it will also show that you....defeated.... the test. The only cadet ever to do so. Your suspension is hereby lifted, and you will report to duty as of tomorrow. This hearing is now closed." The officers rose and exited the hall. Whether they seemed angry about making such a decision, who cared? They had made it, and Jim was still in the academy.

The officers had now left the room to the cadets. Kirk turned to his friends and grinned. "I told you, didn't I tell you?" Everyone patted him on the back and congratulated him.

"Jim, you've always been the lucky one," Shareen said, hugging him. "But how did you reprogram the test?"

Gary piped up, "Don't you know that Jim will never tell? I don't think that even if we were to get him drunk, he would tell." If that wasn't an obvious enough of a hint, Gary decided he'd learn Klingonese!

Kirk winked at his best friend and concurred, saying, "Secret. Can't betray my helpers. Now, how about we go somewhere and celebrate. Drinks are on me!"

The group of friends left Cadet Hall and went looking for the nearest drink station. Jim thought that, in the future, the real tests would be much more difficult. And there would be no script or program to walk away from. But for now, he just wanted to celebrate. The future would come in its own time.


End file.
